MassCHIP v3.0 r328
May 6, 2013

This document describes the latest update to the MassCHIP (Massachusetts Community Health Information Profile) Windows client software. Information in this document is more current than the documentation or on-line help.

The following sections are contained in this document:

  • Updated Data Sets
  • Part 1: Installation
  • Part 2: Operational Notes
  • Part 3: Known Application Behavioral Issues
  • Part 4: Support

Updated Data Sets

Update Year

Data Set

2010

Births

2010

Deaths

2011

Substance Abuse (BSAS) DPH funded program utilization

2011

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS)

 

Part 1: Installation

Successful installation of MassCHIP requires a personal computer with the following:

  • Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 2000, Windows Vista or Windows Server 2003.
  • A TCP/IP network software package, compatible with Winsock 1.1.
  • A frames-capable Internet web browser (examples include Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Internet Explorer v7 or later, as well as almost all other current web browsers).
  • At least 32 MB of RAM for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows 2000.
  • At least 50 MB of free disk space for installation.
  • A video adapter set to display at least 256 colors (required for printing maps and charts - all other functions will operate correctly with a 16-color display setting).
  • A modem and dial-up Internet Service Provider account, or a direct LAN connection to the Internet.

Part 2: Operational Notes

  • Please note that there is a MassCHIP Tutorial provided in the documentation.This tutorial provides an overview of most of the features of the product and may answer many questions about how MassCHIP works. Adobe Acrobat Reader will allow you to view and print these files and may be obtained from the Adobe web site at no charge ( http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html).
  • Most items in the Navigator outline have an extended description, which is shown below the Navigator in a scrolling textbox. Some of the descriptions are long enough that you must scroll the vertical scroll bar to read the whole text.
  • Special attention should be given to items which have caveats attached - these are indicated by the lighting of the Caveat button (which looks like a red radiation sign). These caveats explain special information which is relevant to interpreting results related to the selected item.
  • Confidence intervals on statistics are presented for the 95% level. This means that, allowing for statistical fluctuation, the true value will be within the confidence interval 95% of the time.
  • The MassCHIP user interface has "splitter bars" embedded in it. You may re-size the width of the Results Definition area as well as the height of the extended description box. You will notice the mouse cursor change to an "I-beam" when it is moved between the Navigator outline and the Results Definition, and between the Navigator and the extended description area. Clicking and dragging the "I-beam" when it is present will re-size these areas.

Part 3: Known Application Behavioral Issues

Map and Chart Printing Issues

  • Maps and charts will now be printed through the browser, in the same manner as the results grid.
  • Maps or charts of hundreds of rows of data (such as all cities/towns in the state) may take 1-3 minutes to be displayed, depending on the speed of your personal computer. Maps of moderate numbers of geographies are usually displayed in seconds - this note only applies to map or chart output of very large queries.
  • The new printing function, which allows the user to pivot the print output (exchange columns for rows), has been disabled when the data is sorted.

Part 4: Support

Support is available for MassCHIP, either via Internet Email at masschip.support@state.ma.us or by telephone at (888) MAS-CHIP (inside Massachusetts only) or (617) 624-5629 during normal business hours.


 

This information is provided by MassCHIP within the Department of Public Health.